The Brookhaven leader., 1887-10-20

tute a new one such as TO them
shall seem most likely to effect their
safety and happiness" Now if the
people of sovereign State desire to al
ter their constitution by engrafting up
on it an amendment prohibiting the
manufacture and sale oS intoxicating
liquors which they regard as conducive
to their safety and happiness, they un-
doubtedly have the fright" so to do,
according to the above definition.
And if by majority vote the measure
is adopted-"the consent of the gov
erned" clearly obtained why should
any one complain of sacrificing per-
sonal liberty" and substituting force
for free will ?" If the amendment
provided for biennial elections or an
elective judiciary, the complaint
would be equally pertinent and plain
tive. The principle, it seems to me,
is settled.
notice another popular mistoncep-
ton of an anti-prohipitionists in your
references to "this effort to control
morals by Legislation" and attempting
"by coercive means the reformation
of the drunkards.
There is no question but that We
can make men immoral by legislation.
Prohibition laws are not framed to
coelce men to virtue, but to protect
society-to guard rights, not to produce
righteousness. They give men chance
to reform themselves and proper legiti-
mate protection to other processes and
agencies through which reformation
will come Such an objectin, or rather
misconception, applies with greater
force to Sunday laws, the true purpose
of which all great jurists, from Black
stone to the present, have regarded as
the cornerstone of public morality
and happiness. These laws are not to
make men religious ; not to compel
attendance upon any church service; /;
not to command the adoption of any
creed not to force any one to spend
the day in singing psalms and saying
prayers, but to conserve the civil inter-
ests of government, its moral, CONNER
eial, industrial and social welfare. The
parallel is plain.
In the Texas letter you insist that the
whole question of temperance should
be left to education and Christian
ity, which is repeated in your open let
ter to me, with this important modifica-
ton, "aided by the laws which have
the sanction of experience. Just what
laws is not stated, hence the express
sion is indefinite. In some sections
prohibitory laws have the sanction of
many years experience and have very
materially aided these blessed hand
maidens of virtue and morality. But
should the doctrine obtain that this
whole question must be left to educa-
ton and religion, in all consistency we
must repeal every license law upon the
statute books. Why not, also, trust
to religion and education, to refine
ment and silence, Sunday desecration,
social purity, larceny, arson, concealed
weapons and such like matters, against
which law thunders its prohibi-
ton?
Your kindly words about the
Methodist Church which has been to
you an object of admiration and CRATE
full affection, are duly appreciated. But
with the church am in perfect accord
on this great question of moral reform.
You, therefore, unduly censure me for
introducing politics into the organiza-
ton. What you call politics had al
ready been introduced. In their adj
dress to the last General Conference
the bishops of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South said In a country large
ly governed as this is by the force of
public opinion, it would seem that the
day cannot be far off when the laws
of the land shall effectually protect So
ciety against men who, for purposes of
gain, are ready to destroy the happi-
ness, even the life, of a fellow-being.
We congratulate the church upon the
growth of healthy public sentiment
for temperance reform, and that the
legal suppression of the liquor traffic
throughout the South has been so far
effected by the friends of temperance
outside of all complication with party
politics"
In respons to that part of the bish-
ops address and number of memo
rials of like import the General Confer
o,oo oJoNto1 tho fo1lowinu.
"We rejoice in the widespread and
unprecedented interest, both in and
out of the church, in the movement
in behalf of temperance and prohibito-
ry law. The public has awakened to the
! necessityboth oflegal and moral suasion
to control the great evils fostered and
stimulated by the liquor traffic. x
We cannot withhold our emphatic de-
livery ON the subject, especially in view
of the prevailing agitation of the ques-
ton of prohibition. In view of what
the church suffers in her membership,
in her spiritual life, in her homes and
hearts, from the destroying power of
strong drink, it well behooves the
General Conference to speak out upon
this subject in unmistakable terms;
therefore
Resolved, that the Gene raj Confer
ence of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South, is opposed to the
manufacture, sale and use of intox.
icating liquors, except for medicinal
u I